← 15 Mar Wednesday 16 March 2016 · to 23:59 UTC 17 Mar →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
49,131 stories about harm· Trends· Every past day

We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.

How to read these numbers →

The day's news pointed at plane crash in Ecuador, violence in Brussels and protests in Skien (Norway). Norway's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Language across the world's news ran softer than usual.

Reports of people falling ill ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and Brazil →
Part of lifeRights & justice 36 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostBelgium 74 in 100 of its 1,004 stories, usually 23
RegionEvery region about as usual
Tone of the words Softer than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Ecuador

111 of its 161 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Pastaza accounted for 84 of Ecuador's 111 stories about harm, carried by 104 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 6 times the usual rate (105 stories). Plane crash was named in 14 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Ecuador over 30 days → its stories → Pastaza stories →
Conflict & violence

Belgium

742 of its 1,004 stories (74%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Brussels accounted for 700 of Belgium's 742 stories about harm, carried by 623 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 9 times the usual rate (549 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Belgium over 30 days → its stories → Brussels stories →
Protests & strikes

Norway

223 of its 590 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. 90 of Skien's 131 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about 5 times the usual rate (194 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Norway over 30 days → its stories → Skien stories →
Rights & justice

Congo

50 of its 73 stories (68%) were about people being harmed, usually 48%. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (38 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Congo over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Conflict & violence

Côte d’Ivoire

362 of its 392 stories (92%) were about people being harmed, usually 75%. Grand Bassam accounted for 284 of Côte d’Ivoire's 362 stories about harm, carried by 217 outlets. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Nigeria

1,135 of its 2,930 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (407 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

North Korea

404 of its 1,234 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Pyongyang accounted for 384 of North Korea's 404 stories about harm, carried by 375 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (270 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Burundi

67 of its 78 stories (86%) were about people being harmed, usually 71%. Bururi accounted for 52 of Burundi's 67 stories about harm, carried by 53 outlets. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Armenia

75 of its 225 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (8 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Pakistan

972 of its 2,207 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. Reports of people injured ran at about 6 times the usual rate (480 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: meningitis in Malaysia (96 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); flu in Peru (36 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); avalanche in New Zealand (64 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flu in Brazil (81 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); storms in Poland (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

19 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 20; 19 the day before
25 in 10018 in 10016 Feb23 Feb1 Mar8 Mar16 Mar16 Feb: 20 in 10017 Feb: 20 in 10018 Feb: 20 in 10019 Feb: 21 in 10020 Feb: 23 in 10021 Feb: 25 in 10022 Feb: 21 in 10023 Feb: 20 in 10024 Feb: 20 in 10025 Feb: 20 in 10026 Feb: 20 in 10027 Feb: 21 in 10028 Feb: 20 in 10029 Feb: 19 in 1001 Mar: 19 in 1002 Mar: 19 in 1003 Mar: 18 in 1004 Mar: 18 in 1005 Mar: 20 in 1006 Mar: 21 in 1007 Mar: 19 in 1008 Mar: 19 in 1009 Mar: 19 in 10010 Mar: 20 in 10011 Mar: 20 in 10012 Mar: 22 in 10013 Mar: 24 in 10014 Mar: 21 in 10015 Mar: 19 in 10016 Mar: 19 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 16 Mar. The big dot is this day; the shaded band is a normal day (the 30 days before it). Click a day to open it. Based on 49,131 stories about harm among 261,097 counted on 16 Mar.

Read the day's briefing

In Ecuador, 69% of the news was about people being harmed, where 24% is usual. Reports of people falling ill ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and Brazil. Mentions of meningitis ran about 4 times their usual in Malaysia's news. of the day's 261,097 news stories, 19 in every 100 were about people being harmed, below the usual 20.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Côte d’Ivoire92 in 100 of its 392 stories · usually 75 · mostly conflict & violence Burundi86 in 100 of its 78 stories · usually 71 · mostly conflict & violence Yemen83 in 100 of its 298 stories · usually 79 · mostly conflict & violence Somalia79 in 100 of its 192 stories · usually 77 · mostly conflict & violence Belgium74 in 100 of its 1,004 stories · usually 23 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US467 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2051 Chicago US315 stories about protests or strikes, of its 576 Delhi India163 stories about protests or strikes, of its 470 Cleveland US111 stories about protests or strikes, of its 242 Athens Greece97 stories about protests or strikes, of its 278

Stories, not people.

Where the news was warmest

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: about as warm as its own usual or lessZambia: about as warm as its own usual or lessYemen: about as warm as its own usual or lessVietnam: about as warm as its own usual or lessVenezuela: about as warm as its own usual or lessVanuatu: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: too little coverage to readUruguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessU.S. Virgin Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuam: about as warm as its own usual or lessPuerto Rico: about as warm as its own usual or lessUnited States: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: too little coverage to readFalkland Islands: too little coverage to readCayman Islands: too little coverage to readIsle of Man: too little coverage to readUnited Kingdom: about as warm as its own usual or lessUganda: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkmenistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkey: about as warm as its own usual or lessTunisia: about as warm as its own usual or lessTrinidad & Tobago: about as warm as its own usual or lessTonga: about as warm as its own usual or lessTogo: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readTanzania: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessTaiwan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSwitzerland: about as warm as its own usual or lessSweden: about as warm as its own usual or lessEswatini: about as warm as its own usual or lessSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSudan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSri Lanka: about as warm as its own usual or lessSpain: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth Korea: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth Africa: about as warm as its own usual or lessSomalia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovakia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovenia: too little coverage to readSingapore: too little coverage to readSierra Leone: about as warm as its own usual or lessSeychelles: too little coverage to readSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: about as warm as its own usual or lessSaudi Arabia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Vincent: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. Lucia: about as warm as its own usual or lessRwanda: about as warm as its own usual or lessQatar: too little coverage to readPortugal: about as warm as its own usual or lessPoland: about as warm as its own usual or lessPhilippines: about as warm as its own usual or lessPeru: about as warm as its own usual or lessParaguay: too little coverage to readPapua New Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessPanama: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalau: too little coverage to readPakistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessOman: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorway: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorth Korea: too little coverage to readNigeria: about as warm as its own usual or lessNiger: too little coverage to readNicaragua: about as warm as its own usual or lessNew Zealand: about as warm as its own usual or lessNiue: too little coverage to readCuraçao: too little coverage to readNamibia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMorocco: about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontenegro: about as warm as its own usual or lessMongolia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: about as warm as its own usual or lessMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalta: about as warm as its own usual or lessMali: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalawi: about as warm as its own usual or lessMadagascar: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: about as warm as its own usual or lessLithuania: about as warm as its own usual or lessLibya: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiberia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLesotho: too little coverage to readLebanon: about as warm as its own usual or lessLatvia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLaos: about as warm as its own usual or lessKyrgyzstan: about as warm as its own usual or lessKuwait: about as warm as its own usual or lessKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: too little coverage to readKenya: about as warm as its own usual or lessKazakhstan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJordan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJapan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJamaica: about as warm as its own usual or lessItaly: about as warm as its own usual or lessIsrael: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalestine: about as warm as its own usual or lessIreland: about as warm as its own usual or lessIraq: about as warm as its own usual or lessIran: about as warm as its own usual or lessIndonesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessIndia: about as warm as its own usual or lessIceland: about as warm as its own usual or lessHungary: about as warm as its own usual or lessHonduras: about as warm as its own usual or lessHaiti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuyana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessGrenada: about as warm as its own usual or lessGermany: about as warm as its own usual or lessGeorgia: too little coverage to readGambia: about as warm as its own usual or lessGabon: too little coverage to readFrance: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessNew Caledonia: too little coverage to readFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFinland: about as warm as its own usual or lessFiji: about as warm as its own usual or lessEthiopia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEstonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEritrea: too little coverage to readEquatorial Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEl Salvador: about as warm as its own usual or lessEcuador: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominican Republic: too little coverage to readDominica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: about as warm as its own usual or lessFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readDenmark: about as warm as its own usual or lessCzech Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: about as warm as its own usual or lessCuba: too little coverage to readCroatia: about as warm as its own usual or lessCosta Rica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDR Congo: about as warm as its own usual or lessCongo: about as warm as its own usual or lessComoros: too little coverage to readColombia: about as warm as its own usual or lessChina: about as warm as its own usual or lessHong Kong: about as warm as its own usual or lessChad: too little coverage to readCentral African Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessCape Verde: about as warm as its own usual or lessCanada: about as warm as its own usual or lessCameroon: about as warm as its own usual or lessCambodia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMyanmar: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurundi: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurkina Faso: about as warm as its own usual or lessBulgaria: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrunei: too little coverage to readBotswana: about as warm as its own usual or lessBosnia and Herzegovina: about as warm as its own usual or lessBolivia: about as warm as its own usual or lessBhutan: too little coverage to readBenin: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelize: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelgium: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelarus: about as warm as its own usual or lessBarbados: too little coverage to readBangladesh: about as warm as its own usual or lessBahrain: about as warm as its own usual or lessBahamas: too little coverage to readAzerbaijan: about as warm as its own usual or lessAustralia: about as warm as its own usual or lessHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArgentina: about as warm as its own usual or lessAntigua & Barbuda: too little coverage to readAngola: about as warm as its own usual or lessAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: about as warm as its own usual or lessAlbania: about as warm as its own usual or lessAfghanistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJammu & Kashmir: about as warm as its own usual or lessAksai Chin: about as warm as its own usual or lessGaza: about as warm as its own usual or lessWest Bank: about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): about as warm as its own usual or lessAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSiachen Glacier: about as warm as its own usual or lessEast Jerusalem: about as warm as its own usual or lessAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessVatican City: about as warm as its own usual or lessMarshall Islands: too little coverage to readNorthern Mariana Islands: too little coverage to readAmerican Samoa: too little coverage to readChagos Islands: too little coverage to readSt. Helena: too little coverage to readPitcairn: too little coverage to readAnguilla: too little coverage to readBermuda: too little coverage to readBritish Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: about as warm as its own usual or lessJersey: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuernsey: too little coverage to readSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAruba: about as warm as its own usual or lessNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: about as warm as its own usual or lessMaldives: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiechtenstein: too little coverage to readWallis & Futuna: too little coverage to readSt. Martin: too little coverage to readSt. Barthélemy: too little coverage to readMacao: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorfolk Island: too little coverage to readSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: too little coverage to readGibraltar: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readUnited Arab Emirates: warmth about its own usualUkraine: warmth about its own usualThailand: warmth about its own usualSyria: warmth about its own usualRussia: warmth about its own usualRomania: warmth about its own usualNetherlands: warmth about its own usualNepal: warmth about its own usualMozambique: warmth about its own usualMalaysia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualNorth Macedonia: warmth about its own usualGuatemala: warmth about its own usualGreece: warmth about its own usualGhana: warmth about one and a half times its own usualEgypt: warmth about its own usualCôte d’Ivoire: warmth about its own usualChile: warmth about its own usualBrazil: warmth about one and a half times its own usualAustria: warmth about its own usualArmenia: warmth about its own usualUkraine: warmth about its own usualBemidji, US -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 15 stories, carried by 14 outletsBoonville, US -- rights & justice: 14 stories, carried by 13 outletsBratislava, Slovakia -- rights & justice: 15 stories, carried by 11 outletsBukit Jalil, Malaysia -- health: 154 stories, carried by 30 outletsNiger Delta, Nigeria -- conflict & violence: 27 stories, carried by 21 outletsXinjiang, China -- conflict & violence: 30 stories, carried by 21 outletsPathankot, India -- conflict & violence: 91 stories, carried by 41 outletsMerthyr Tydfil, UK -- health: 12 stories, carried by 13 outlets
Warmer than its own usual The warmest eventsAbout as warm or lessToo little news

Each country shaded by the warmth in its news — care, help, gratitude — against its own last 30 days. Stronger colour: further above. Dots: the events whose coverage carried the most warmth, even where the event itself began as harm. Warm words, not good outcomes. Click a country or a dot.

Warmest news

● Malaysia warmth about one and a half times usual ● Ghana warmth about one and a half times usual ● Brazil warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Bemidji US about twice as warm as the day's news · deaths & injuries, cause not given · 15 stories ● Boonville US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 14 stories ● Bratislava Slovakia about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 15 stories ● Bukit Jalil Malaysia about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 154 stories ● Niger Delta Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 27 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice36% 17,325 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence23% 11,177 stories · less than usual (usually 25%) Disasters & accidents11% 5,420 stories · about as usual Health11% 5,132 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 2,783 stories · about as usual Displacement5% 2,353 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood4% 1,993 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 1,966 stories · about as usual

Of the stories about people being harmed, what part of life each was about. The mark is usual.

Harm reported 30 days →

Stories reporting people killed14,032 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected6,452 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests6,161 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured4,114 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees1,849 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced951 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Israel and Syria Stories reporting abductions587 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations321 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people falling ill221 at about twice the usual rate · most about the US and Brazil

Stories that report it, not people: we count what reporters wrote, not what happened.

How it felt 30 days →

harshwarm

The words in the day's stories were softer than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angerabout as usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefabout as usual
● Fearabout as usual

From the words reporters used across the whole day, never one story. Fear is the weakest of the four measures. How?

The weekly briefing · 19 Oct – 25 Oct

The week in human impact

Read the week →

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How to read these numbers →

These are counts of stories, not counts of suffering. Most of what happens to people is never reported at all.